What are consular services?

February 2016

‘The Embassy’ television documentary series, which follows DFAT’s consular officers in Thailand, Vietnam and Laos, is being screened on Channel Nine in February and March. The series has raised the profile of our consular and passport services.

This factsheet explains what we can and can’t do overseas.

DFAT prioritises help overseas to the most vulnerable Australians. This assistance is guided by our Consular Services Charter.

Each case is unique and our assistance will depend on the circumstance. We may be able to:

 manage cases where an Australian overseas is arrested, is the victim of a crime, is hospitalised or needing general welfare assistance, or seeks guidance to return to Australia;

 provide new or replacement Australian passports for a fee;

 authenticate official Australian public documents, such as a marriage certificate;

 with consent, contact friends or family on an Australian traveller’s behalf in an emergency; and

 assist Australians affected by major international incidents or crises.

There are limits to the level of consular assistance we can provide. For example, consular officers cannot:

 organise an Australian traveller’s visa or other documents for another country;

 give legal advice or translate documents – but we can provide contact details for services that will;

 investigate crimes or get Australians out of prison;

 ensure better treatment in a hospital or prison than is provided to the local patients or prisoners – but we can raise welfare concerns with local authorities; and